Candidates to visit UH Manoa at end of the month for public presentations

The search committee for the dean‘s position at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa‘s William S. Richardson School of Law has determined a list of final candidates that will be brought to the campus for interviews at the end of January. The candidates will also be involved in public forums where they will give presentations and answer questions from faculty, students, and the community.

Among the candidates are:

· Sylvia A. Law, Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Law, Medicine and Psychiatry at New York University and Co-Director of the Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Program. Law graduated from New York University School of Law and received an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Antioch College.

· Aviam Soifer, Professor and former dean (1993-1998) at Boston College Law School. Soifer graduated from Yale Law School, and also received an MA in Urban Studies and a bachelor‘s degree in American Studies, cum laude, from Yale College.

· John Yukio Gotanda, Professor and Director of the JD/MBA Program at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. Gotanda graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law at UH Mānoa, and also received a bachelor‘s degree from UH Mānoa in Business Administration.

A fourth candidate has been recommended. At this time, the name of the candidate will not be released at the candidate‘s request for professional reasons. Prior to the candidate‘s arrival for a campus visit in early February, that candidate‘s name and background information will be made public.

"I am extremely grateful to all the members of the search committee for their tireless efforts in determining the final pool of candidates for the dean‘s position," said search committee chair Beadie Kanahele Dawson, chief executive officer of Dawson Group, Inc., and chair of the Friends of the Law School board. "I strongly believe that we have a talented and impressive group of candidates, all of whom have exceptional backgrounds and experience, and are capable of leading the school to an even higher level."

Presentations by the candidates will take place at the William S. Richardson School of Law, Classroom 3, at 2515 Dole Street, and the public is invited. Questions and answers will be allowed following the candidates‘ presentations, which are scheduled as follows:

· Sylvia A. Law — Tuesday, January 28, from 4 to 5:15 p.m.

· Aviam Soifer — Thursday, January 30, from 4 to 5:15 p.m.

· John Yukio Gotanda — Friday, January 31, from 4 to 5:15 p.m.

The search for the dean‘s position has been underway since Dean Lawrence Foster announced in early 2002 that he would be returning to the faculty to resume his teaching position following 15 years in administrative positions at the School of Law.